Clutch device.



J. G. HEASLE T. CLUTCHDEVICE. APPLICATION FILED No'v. 3, 1914.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 J. G. HEASLET. CLUTCH DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED NOV 3,1914.

Llfiflfiwfi, Patented Dec. 28, 1915,

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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CLUTCH DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, m4. Llfifififlmm Patented Dec. 28, 1910.

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in ii sa aries JAMES C. HEASLET, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER CORIEORATION, A CORPORATION'OF NEW JERSEY.

. CLUTCH DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 218, 19115.

Application filed November 3, 1914. Serial No. 870,030.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be 1t known that I, JAMns G. HnAsLE'r, a

citizen of the United States of America,'

initial speed of the starting mechanism.-

Such devices are generically known in the art. I do not, therefore, seek to claim the same broadly, but only'the specific arrangement of parts cooperating to form a new and useful device having features of advantage over'those previously disclosed.

I employ electric means as a source of power to operate the starter herein de-' scribed. This electric means, consisting. of a motor, is suitably connected with the driving shaft of the gas engine through the medium of the clutch members hereafter to" be described, and in thisway the main shaft of the gas engine is set in motion and by itsinitial revolution the gas is drawn into the engine and exploded, thus causing the gas engine to operate with its own power, which power causes the same to rotate with a considerably greater speed than that imparted by the electric motor. The clutch device which is the subject matter of this invention is so organized that when the speed of the gas engine exceeds the-speed of the electric motor the electric motor is released in its connection with the main shaft of the gas engine, so that while it may continue to operate within itsinitial velocity no greater speed will be imparted thereto than that fixed for the operation of the electric motor, notwithstanding the fact as stated that the gas engine is operating at a greaterspeed. These results are accomplished through the medium of the devices which I am about to describe.

I have illustrated my invention, in the accompanying drawings designating the parts by numerals and referring to like parts by like numerals.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a plan of a gas engine with my starter mounted on themain shaft thereof and connected up with an electric motor. Fig. 2 1s a front elevation ofthe same. an elevation of my device inclosed in its casing, while Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same w1th a part of the sprocket wheel broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical section .of Fig. 3, the main shaft being shown in perspective. Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5 with the sprocket wheel and cover removed to show the internal arrangement of the clutch member hereafter to be described. F1g. 7 is a perspective view of the clutch member, the same being inverted from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view in detail of a friction pawl employed in the device, and Fig.

9 is a detail of an absorbent pad and its mountings taken on the line X-X of Fig. 7.

The details of construction are described as follows: 1 is a base, as for instance an automobile body, on which is mounted a gas engine, as 2, having-a main shaft 4 is the casing of my clutch'device, carrying a ,sprocket wheel 5, .While 6 is an electric motor having suitable electrical connections not shown, with a sprocket wheel mounted on the armature shaft, as 7, and a suitable belt or chain connection 8 between the sprocket wheels 7 and 5, whereby power is transmitted from'the motorto the main shaft of the gas engine.

I prefer to construct the main shaft 3 of the gas engine with. a shoulder or boss, 40,

as illustrated in-Fig. 5. It may, however, be made of uniform size. The casinglt is provided with a central aperture to receive the said shaft 3, and rests against said boss '40, it is keyed to the shaft by the key 9.

.Said casing t has an annular aperture 10 with a surface axial to the main shaft, while 11 is a ring having an internal bearing surface 11 axial to the main shaft, the same being of a size to fit into the aperture 10, and to be secured therein by a suitable screw thread as shown, or it may be introduced therein under well known conditions of heat and pressure so as to become rigidly fixed within said aperture of the casing I2 is a sheet metal cover having a central aperture indicated as 13, andscrew holes, indicated as 14.

14: are suitable screws to hold said cover in position.

is a port through the casing 4 and ring 11, sealed by a suitable screw, as 16.

' '17'I characterize as the clutch member.

It is annular in form, having a central aperture 18, of, a size to receive the shaft 3 upon Which'itis mounted fto rotate freely.

19 is'an extension to, provide a greater bearing surfacefor said member in its axial movement on theshaft. This clutch member 17 is. provided .with 3 bolt holes 20, and at the base thereof apertures to receive the heads of suitable bolts. Said clutch member is also provided with peripheral indentures,

as'at 21, forming sockets'adapted to receive 4 suitable friction pawls hereafterto be de- 3 scribed. Theclutch member 17 is also 'protures 24 vided withan annular flange, as 22. The clutch member is also provided with aperto receive a plunger and springmember. I

'25fis the plunger,while 26 is the spring 111- closed therein, as shown in Fig. 6.

- 27 is a bolt, 28 the bolt' head, while 29-18 'anut.

I I a splitf'as "at 31, and provided with flanges 30, best seen in igi 'Z, is a metallic disk bent at'right-angles to this disk, as 32.

33, best shown in Fig. 9, is a retaining member adapted to "span the flanges last referred to, .and hold them in position. 34-

' isa padi of absorbent material, preferably yfibrou's in its ,construc tion, and adapted to 35. f tact. T

. n fl andar eithus heldin contact'with the per ph-.

arc of a circle of less diameter than the arc take up andhold withinits fibers lubricating materia l and to distribute the sa'meover tli'e surfacejwith which itis broughtin conhes e pads3f1 are embraced by the SZ andYthe re aining me b ery ofthe clutch memberl 7'. I h

35 are friction pawls substantially tr1 -angularfin longitudinal ,cross-se'ctionythe apex of the -,triangle being v rounded; as at,

"36, to cooperate with the socket formation 21 in, the peripherygof the clutch member to move thereiniwhile the'face 37 is cut 1n the of the internal periphery 11 of the ring 11.

38 is -preferably concave in cross-section,.

; 1 to engage an elastic member, as the'bolt 25. .0

Thee

ements just described are assembled as follows: The casing 4: is run.onto the shaft 3 and keyed thereto by the key 9. The

ringlll is screwed into the casing 4 so as to present the internal peripheral bearing 11. I then introduce through the clutch member,-

17 the bolts 27, seating their 'heads in the j aperture prepared for that purpose. The lubricating pads 34 are secured to the clutch member 17 '-as follows: The sheet metal disk '30 being split at 31 is. sprung under the boss or flange 22, and in that manner is secured to the clutch member 17 The flanges 32 are folded over the lubricating pads 34:, while the securing member 33 embraces said flanges 32 and holds the pad member in position on the periphery of the clutch member 17. The clutch member 17 as shown in Fig. 7, is then inverted and introduced'in to the apertures of the casing 1,

while being run on the shaft 3. The cover member 12 is placed in position and secured by the screwsfl l A washer member 39, having ac'entral aperture, is run on the exterior ofthe' upright 19 ,.and lies on the upper side. of the clutch member17, the same being. pierced by the bolts 27. The

sprocket Wheel 5 is then run on the bolts 2 and secured thereto by .the nuts '29.

Through the chain 8 the sprocket wheel 5 is connected with a corresponding sprocket wheel '7 on the shaft ofthe electric motor 6,

rent is supplied to'the motor 6, and the same operates to rotate the clutch'niember '17, such rotation being in the direction of the arrow. (1, Fig. 6. The spring bolts 25 operate tokeep the pawls 35 in contact with the internal peripheral bearing surface 11*. lVith the rotationof the clutch member 17, as stated, these'friction'.pawls operate in conj unctionfwith the sockets 21 in which they move to bind the clutch member to the friction surface 11, and consequently with the rotation "of the said clutch member 1 7 the casing 4:will revolve, and as this casing issecured to the shaft3 that shaft will also revolve and cause the gas engine to make one or more rotations until the same' is brouglitunder the operation of the cxploding gas. .Should therate'of rotation of the shaft 3, imparted-by the gas engine, excecd the rate of rotation imparted by. theclectric motor, the casing 61 will revolve more rapidly than the clutch member 17. In such case the friction pawls 35 are adapted to yield their clutching engagement with the friction surface 11 by reason of the fact that such friction surface is traveling faster .than said friction paw-ls, and thus the rate of rotationof the electric motor will not be disturbed and so when the electric motor ceases to operate the same conditions are ,maintained and the clutch member will remain stationary, while the volve with the shaft 3. The

casing will reabsorbent pads 34 will take'up the lubricating, oil and evenly'distribute the same over the surface 11, the said pads and pawls being in fixed relation,'and that portion of theffriction surface to which the pawls are applied will be constantly maintained in astate of lubrication. I have observed that such constant lubrication is a matter of great importance in the operation of a device of this nature.

Vhat I claim is:

1. In a gas .engine starter wherein friction pawls are employed to cooperate with a bearing surface substantiallyas described; absorbent pads mounted with a fixed relation to said pawls and adapted to make contact with said bearing surface in'the operation of the device. X

2. A starter for gas engines, comprising a casing havinga central aperture to receive the main shaft of the engine, and means to secure the same thereto, said casing having an internal annular bearing surface axial to said shaft; a clutch member having a central aperture to receive said shaft, on Which it is mounted to revolve within said casing and adjacent said bearing surface; peripheral sockets in said clutch member and friction pawls interposed between said sockets and said bearing surface; absorbent pads carried on the periphery of the said clutch member and making contact with said bear'- ing surface, with means to rotate said clutch member.

3. A starter for gas engines comprising a casing having a central aperture to receive the main shaft of the engine, and means to a secure the same thereto, said casing having an internal annular bearlng surface axial too said shaft; a clutch member having a central aperture to receive said shaft, on which it is mounted to revolve within said casing and adjacent said bearing surface; peripheral sockets in said clutch member and friction pawls interposed between said sockets and said bearing surface, said clutch member provided with an annular boss or shoulder adjacent its surface; a disk of metal having a central aperture, and split radially from said central aperture, the same adapted to be sprung under said boss, said disk having extending arms; absorbent pads adapted to be embraced by said arms, and means to conline said pads within said arms, said pads being interposed between the periphery of the clutch member and said bearing surface, and adapted to make contact with the latter, with means to rotate such clutch member.

'4. A starter for gas engines, comprising a casing having a central aperture to receive the main shaft of the engine, and means to secure the same thereto, said casing having an internal annular bearing surface axial to said shaft; a clutch member having a central aperture to receive said shaft on which it is mounted to revolve within said casing and adjacent said bearing surface; peripheral sockets in said clutch member, and friction pawls interposed between said sockets and said bearing surface; absorbent pads carried on the periphery of the said clutch member and making contact with said bearing surface; elastiomeans interposed between said clutch member and said pawls, directed to maintain said pawls in contact with said bearing surface, with means to rotzite said clutch member. 

